Equalizing questions: Tone freaks only!

[Loxley]

Well, in my search to achieve an excellent tone by starting from scratch and re-equalizing my guitar, I've come across a lot of problems, and would definitely like to hear some new advice for equalizing my guitar this time around and learn something new.

 

First off, in my search for more information, I found this:

 

http://www.amptone.com/truesecretofamptone.htm

 

According to that, I'm gonna need a {censored}-ton of EQs. I think the tone stack in my amp is too basic, I'd like to fine tune it, so I should probably have an EQ in my effects loop, yes? According to this, I should get another and plug that first thing into my effects chain before the amp. BUT, I also should put exactly one before and one after each distortion effect. Here's my current setup:

 

Guitar > Crybaby Classic > Catalinbread Super Charged Overdrive > Big Muff Pi NYC > Amp > begin FX Loop > Ernie Ball VP Jr volume pedal > Akai Headrush E2 Delay > end FX loop > Amp.

 

So, this also means I should have three more EQs for bracketing my two distortion pedals. That's a lot of EQ pedals. Even more of a problem.. these EQ pedals are EQed because of those distortion pedals, meaning I should shut them off when I'm done with the distortion pedals. I tapdance enough on my pedals, so working with this outside of the studio seems entirely impractical.

 

Anyway, disregarding those other three pedals, is it a good idea to have both a pedal before everything in the chain, and another in the effects loop, or is there something I'm missing or something I should change in this configuration?

 

Secondly, one of the main reasons I started using an EQ pedal was not only to shape tone, but to eliminate feedback. When I first EQed, I had my solidbody Reverend Jetstream. The way I did this was turn the amp up a bit, let my guitar start to feedback naturally on its own, and mess with the frequencies until I found the right bands that affected the tendency to feedback the most. I ended up cutting two bands in the lower mids. Now I have a semi-hollow Tokai 335 clone, and it feeds back like a mother{censored}er with my Catalinbread Supercharged Overdrive. I'm really concerned about doing this the right way. If anyone knows an ideal method that's better than mine for dealing with this, please let me know, EQ or no EQ.

 

Third of all, I'm wondering if there's an overall order to EQing the amp. Do I start with the amp's tone stack? If so, do I adjust it again later? If I go with one EQ before everything and one in the FX loop, which one do I adjust first? I could really use a comprehensive guide to EQing at this point, since all I really know at the moment is to play around with bands until it sounds good.

 

Thanks everyone.

[axepilot]

Noboby here has your ears and can hear your rig to offer a qualified opinion. You're looking way too deep and ignoring your most important instrument - your ears.

 

Everyone has their own way of getting their sound. I can see you seeking starting points here, but don't take it as gospel...........................let your own ears be the guide.

[Loxley]

Also, another thing I forgot.

 

What technique is best for testing frequencies to adjust? I usually play full barre chords in fairly random places on the neck. I was wondering if there was some technique to test frequencies best when EQing.

[Tweedledee]

It seems like you're WAY overthinking this. That article seems rather ridiculous to me. If the "secret" to great tone is to have all those EQ pedals in your signal chain, then why are there so many guitar players with incredible tone even though they just go straight from their guitar into their amp?

 

In my experience the "secret" to great tone is to keep it simple. But what do I know... I don't have a website.

[ItchyFingers]

Damn Lox, thats alot of EQ talk right there. My amp doesn't even have a knob to EQ the mids, and I don't run any EQ pedals (and I LOVE dirt pedals). Never had a problem getting the tone I'm looking for.

 

Sounds to me like you just need a nicer amp.

[axepilot]

It seems like you're WAY overthinking this. That article seems rather ridiculous to me. If the "secret" to great tone is to have all those EQ pedals in your signal chain, then why are there so many guitar players with incredible tone even though they just go straight from their guitar into their amp? In my experience the "secret" to great tone is to keep it simple. But what do I know... I don't have a website.

 

 

Signed.............

[ugameus]

I have never heard of anyone using that many eq's. but maybe I am wrong.

[shredtilurded]

That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever read or heard.

[Loxley]

I'm thinking all that EQ stuff is for studio work really.

 

I'm thinking it might be a good idea to have an EQ before all the other pedals and another in the FX loop. I'm wondering if it might be a good idea to only have one in the FX loop. Or maybe there are advantages to putting an EQ before everything else as well? I'm no sound engineer or electrician, so it's hard for me to tell what I can do with multiple EQs in different positions.

[mrbrown49]

 

I'm thinking all that EQ stuff is for studio work really. I'm thinking it might be a good idea to have an EQ before all the other pedals and another in the FX loop. I'm wondering if it might be a good idea to only have one in the FX loop. Or maybe there are advantages to putting an EQ before everything else as well? I'm no sound engineer or electrician, so it's hard for me to tell what I can do with multiple EQs in different positions.

 

 

I think in most studios, a good sound is achieved from the amp (with out going to the lengths outlined in your link), miced to capture a good sound, and the rest of the processing is done during mixing. All that nonsense would probably make it even harder to get a guitar track to sit well in the mix, which usually requires the guitar to reside in a fairly narrow frequency range.

[mdog114]

That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever read or heard.

 

:thu:

[PINKUSFLOYDUS]

EQ to who... you or the crowd.

You need no EQ to hear what your amp speaks.

 

If you are concerned what the crowd is getting, get a Behringer Ultracurve.

This unit can sum multiple locations for an average EQ by analyzing pink noise.

 

Check it out.

[Alecto]

I go with what a top-level mastering guy told me: "The Best EQ tweak is no EQ tweak."

[Mr_GoodBomb]

I'd offer my two cents, but... I've been listening to Black Flag, so... I doubt you'd want it.

[Loxley]

Okay, so the article is a bit ridiculous, as I thought. But it also brings up great points.

 

The first time I used an EQ, I used it in the FX loop and it improved my tone to me tons. I was way more into playing guitar ever since I heard the difference and swore by my EQ pedal.

 

In other words, I definitely plan to use at least one EQ pedal here.

 

Again, back to my original questions, just ignore the article. I'm most interested in eliminating feedback, my second question, at the moment.

[59humbucker]

I use one eq pedal in the loop and like you found it made masses of difference.

 

I cant see the point in running an eq before and after a distortion pedal, if you already liked the sound pre pedal but feel the post pedal sound isn't right, why not just eq it after?

 

In terms of the tap dancing thing, I'm intending to esperiment with a touch of delay on my lead lines. I already run a volume pedal with an adjustable minimum in the loop. To avoid having to hit both the delay and the volume swell, I plan to us a looper/aby switch. The eq will go brefore the switcher then one strand will just have the volume pedal switched to min while the other wont have the volume pedal (full volume) and will have the delay

[Faber]

That guy should shut up and play his guitar.

[Ancient Mariner]

I've not read the article, but for me, the secret to great tone is even response in the amp and tailor things with the speaker. EQ should only be used to *help* a little IF necessary.

 

Also remember that the more drive you apply, the less effective most tone-shaping becomes.

[Mr Songwriter]

I think you're better off keeping the number of devices in your signal chain to a bare minimum: every time you add a pedal (and the cable you need to hook it up) your are adding more and more electronics (op amp gain stages etc, etc) to that chain, all of which, IMO is going to increase tone suckage, noise etc, etc.

[Lump]

eq in effects loop. boost 250 and cut 1K. Aggressive, yet very full and cutting.

 

Never touch again.

[czarny]

Don't over-think so much. Run the EQ in the fx loop if you can't get the sound you want from your amp. I have one in my mesa's fx loop, but that is just to kill the volume a bit since I live in an apartment. You then can add one before the amp if you don't like what tone the guitar itself is giving you. Anything after that really is overkill. If you feel you need to bracket your dirt pedals then maybe you should either get new dirt pedals or a new amp.

[Loxley]

Ok,

 

Still wondering if I should get another EQ so I can try one in the loop and another right after the guitar.

 

Also, could anyone guide me through how to properly EQ to reduce feedback? I can hardly use my Catalinbread SCOD with my semi-hollow.

[czarny]

When are you getting feedback? High volume, low volume, all volumes? I don't necessarily know how to fix that, but my best guess would be to cut back on the higher frequencies.

[Loxley]

 

When are you getting feedback? High volume, low volume, all volumes? I don't necessarily know how to fix that, but my best guess would be to cut back on the higher frequencies.

 

 

Higher volumes, more gain always makes it more susceptible. Interestingly, on medium overdrive from my SCOD, I get much more feedback than with my Big Muff Pi.

[benzem]

I would suggest one eq and two tops if you want one in loop and one b4 amp.

If you want each distortion to have it's own eq you could get a multi fx. That would allow the most extreme flexibility w/o too many stompers making noise and sucking tone. But a multi also has it's effect on tone.

Just keep it simple. EQ the rig and adjust the dist pedals' tone. If you no likie, get a different pedal.

A little eq goes a long way